Love's Fool
by WillaRyley0823
Summary: After escaping from Russell's Sookie's life is upturned in a whirlwind of betrayal and heartbreak. Someone believed to be forever gone returns, and two broken and battered souls find a love and friendship, bigger than they ever dreamed possible. Tara is right by her best friends side, but struggles to stay true to herself as big changes loom on the horizon.Sookie/Godric, Tara/Jason
1. Prologue

A/N: This story begins in Season 3 Episode 7 "Hitting the Ground" immediately after Sookie, Bill, Alcide and Tara have escaped from Russell's. This chapter contains some very brief allusions to rape but does not go into detail, if this upsets you in anyway please DO NOT read.

Prologue

Sookie POV

As Bill's lips began to pull against her arm the smile that lit Sookie's face was absolutely brilliant, even as tears still ran down her flushed cheeks. She sagged visibly as the live tension that had been flooding her body, basically since Bill's disappearance, finally slipped away. She knew Bill was still weak and would be for sometime, but she thanked God over and over that the man she loved was still here with her.

"It's okay baby. You're gonna be alright now." She crooned, her voice raw from crying. She leaned down pressing a kiss to his forehead while simultaneously stroking back his hair. She cuddled him closer, focusing solely on the feeling of having him safe in her arms. Bill started to bite into her arm repeatedly, stirring her from her musing and causing a frightened yelp to erupt from her. "Easy" she whimpered to no avail as the bites came faster and harsher. Her stomach did a sickening roll, and she felt a her heart give a single heavy thump in her chest. Bill's voice echoed from deep in her memory.

_ "Vampires often turn on those who trust them." _The statement repeated on an endless loop, over and over. Sookie's eyes searched the shelves around them for anything that she might use to help free herself. She frantically tried to remember what she'd done with the saw she'd used to cut into her arm, and spotted it just to the right where she'd dropped it earlier. She stretched her free arm out as far as she could manage, but it was just out of her reach her hand swiping back and forth pointlessly. If she could just stretch another inch. She slapped her hand on the ground before attempting to drag herself closer, and Bill's fangs to ripped further into her already mangled arm. Her fingers were just nearly there when the truck jostled over a pothole, and it slid even further away. She swore viciously through her clenched jaw, and slumped against the shelves in defeat.

"Bill!" she screamed "Bill, Please!" She shook her head knowing her only other idea was a stupid one. She gulped in a ragged breath, dug her feet into the floor, and shoved as hard as she could manage. Trying to scoot herself back and away from him. He growled lowly and cruelly sank his fangs in even deeper. His hands gripped tighter and tighter, and she fought to get away, but she heard a sickening crunch over the other noises surrounding her. It was louder than the rumbling of the old truck, the fierce snarls of the blood thirsty vampire, and her own pathetic cries. The pain lanced through her after a moment of frozen anticipation, and everything went silent as a haze of blackness washed over her. She valiantly fought to remain conscious, knowing if that if she didn't she was a good as dead. Her eyes finally fluttered back open. She momentarily felt victorious in her hard won battle, until she realized that in the two or three heartbeats it took her to recover Bill had somehow gotten her onto her back. He was now savagely tearing into her neck. Sookie tried to scream hoping Tara or Alcide might hear her up in the front of the truck, but all that left her mouth was a wet, gurgling, mewl.

_ It will be over soon._ She chanted in her mind, but as she felt Bill shove her dress up and her panties were torn from her body, it suddenly occurred to her that maybe it wouldn't be over soon enough.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the prologue, I plan to write all week and then post whatever I finish on Sunday evenings. I still need a beta, anyone interested please pm me, so all my mistakes are my own. I do not own True Blood or any of the characters, I just enjoy letting my mind wander into what ifs and thought some of you might enjoy my ramblings. Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter 1

Tara POV

Alcide pulled the truck over along the side of the road, and hopped out heading into the trees. Tara sighed deeply before getting out of the truck and circling around the back to check on Sookie. The heavy metal door was latched and Tara briefly entertained the thought of opening the door and watching Bill fry like a hot cake before rapping sharply.

"Sook, you alright in there?" She could hear nothing but the irritating whine of insects swarming nearby. Her heart dropped into her stomach. "Shit Sook!" Tara pounded on the door. "Sookie!" Her trembling fingers fumbled at the latch.

"Tara!" Alcide was suddenly beside her stopping her hand with his own. "Bill's in there if you open that door. . ."

"Like I give a fuck! Sookie's not answering. Something's wrong! If that vampire hurt her. . ." Tara struggle to breath just at the thought. "Sookie's my family." She mumbled weakly hating a stranger seeing her so vulnerable.

"I get it." His voice was gentle as he moved his hand away releasing hers. "We'll just crack it a bit so we can see. Sookie'll loose it if we burn up her vamp for no reason." Tara gingerly rolled the door back about an inch, but as she leaned down to look inside Alcide shoved her aside.

"What the Hell!" Tara shouted indignantly.

"There's fresh blood. A lot of it." Tara froze rooted to the spot, her heart damn near exploding out of her chest.

"Open it" she haltingly whispered. Alcide remained still, looking at her as if to ask if she was sure. In reality she didn't think she wanted to see what was on the other side, but her best friend was in there so she had to know. _Dammit Sook, I knew that vamp was no good._ She pulled her anger around her like a shield. "Open the goddamn door." She growled. The door rolled opened with a loud bang as the base struck the top, and Tara jumped at the sound. She'd kept her eyes on the doors movement, knowingly avoiding looking at the interior of the truck. Slowly she lowered her eyes scanning everything, but the floor of the truck where she was certain her friend was lying. Every part of her body stiffened as she prepared herself, but as her eyes met the sight of her friend she knew there was no preparing ones self for seeing something like this. Sookie was indeed laying on the floor of the truck, her once pretty purple sundress saturated with blood. Her lifeless limbs were contorted with one arm cradled against her chest, the other flopped off to the side, and her legs sprawled open obscenely as if. . . Tara's eyes squeezed shut, remembering her own violation. "Oh Sook." The vampire was lying beside her snuggled up like they were merely enjoying a peaceful nap together. Tara's vision focused solely on the dead to the world vampire, her hands clenching and unclenching. Before she was aware of what she was doing she was inside the truck, kicking and shoving Bill. "Fucking asshole!" She raged, she wanted him to hurt, to bleed, to fucking die! Her tirade was having little effect on the vampire however. She bellowed a roar, and with strength she didn't know she possessed she flung the still sleeping vampire out into the noonday sun. He landed in a satisfying cloud of dust on the dirt road. Tara watched with rapt anticipation for the vampire to burst into flames, and yet it didn't happen. He began to stir, his eyes snapping open, and his pale blood covered hand rising up to shield his eyes. Tara took a protective stance in front of Sookie, in case the vampire had any thoughts of getting anywhere near her.

"Get the fuck out of here before I stake you, you undead piece of shit!" Alcide growled his voice low and deadly as his eyes changed into a glaring yellow. He snatched a random scrap of wood from the truck, snapping the end off into a jagged point. Tara scooped Sookie up into her arms, as if protecting her from the scene in front of them. Bill snarled, his fangs running down, before he vamped off into the forest. Tara gently rocked her friend, her own tears, that she hadn't even been aware she was shedding, falling down. They coursed down Sookie's face, making it appear as though the blonde was sharing in Tara's grief and crying as well.

"Sook, you gotta wake up. Please, please Sookie." Sookie's head lulled back and forth with the motion of the rocking, but she didn't stir. Tara's hand fluttered stupidly around the carnage of the blonde's neck, unsure where to even begin looking for a pulse. When Tara's useless fumbling ceased her hand came away painted in her best friends blood. Tara hugged Sookie tightly to her chest sobs shaking her entire body. She held her there unwilling to let her go, "Sookie come back, I swear I'll lose it if you die." then she felt the slightest little flutter of a breath on her cheek. Tara held her own breath and waited to feel it again. She whispered please over and over, pleading to anyone or thing that might be listening. Finally, finally there it was, that tiny little gust. A warmth flooded her. "Alcide she's breathing, she's breathing! Get us to the nearest hospital as quick as you can!"

Tara counted each puff of air leaving Sookie's body until they reached the small hospital in Ruston. It only took about fifteen minutes to get there, but Tara worried the entire time that each faint breath would be Sookie's last. Alcide pulled the truck up to where the ambulances usually parked, and opened the door. A security guard stepped out of the doors, presumably to tell them to move when he spotted the two girls in the back. He hurried back inside, quickly returning with a host of hospital staff. They eased Sookie from Tara's aching arms, and carefully placed her on a gurney. One of the nurses asked Tara if she needed assistance as well, but Tara quickly shooed her away back toward her friend. Tara's body was trembling fiercely, but she somehow managed to make her way down and out of the truck, before following the group of professionals into the hospital and down a long hallway. As they walked there was a flurry of activity as they assessed Sookie's condition. About a quarter of the way down the hall, one of the nurses turned and stopped Tara, before returning to the group and following as they turned the gurney into a nearby room. Tara's quiet tears turned to full on sobbing as she stood there wondering if she would ever see the girl she had grown up with alive again. She startled at the feeling of a warm hand on her shoulder, and noticed Alcide had returned from parking the truck. There were no words, nothing she felt worth saying, so they stood together silently and waited.

Seconds or hours had ticked by, Tara couldn't be sure, when they heard wailing sirens irrupt from the room and someone's voice call out "She's seizing!" Tara's legs gave out and Alcide, half-carried half-drug her into a near by waiting room. He lowered her onto one of the couches, before sitting beside her and taking her hands into his massive ones.

"Sookie's a fighter I know she'll come out of this, just have faith." She nodded dumbly, praying he was right. Again an indeterminable amount of time passed when Tara found herself pacing manically, and the doctor finally came into the room.

"Miss Thornton?"

"How is she?" The doctor paused as though collecting her thoughts.

"Well, your friend has some broken bones, her arm was practically crushed, but thankfully we believe those will heal in time without any permanent damage. The real issues she is currently facing are the trauma she sustained in the sexual assault, and the blood loss. I assume it was a vampire that did this to her?"

"Yes." Tara murmured trying to take in what the doctor had said.

"I thought so, the blood loss alone. . . but the brutality of her assault." The doctor shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, I'm getting off track. We sutured her up as best we can for now, but when we tried to give her a transfusion for the blood loss. . . something happened. It takes awhile for blood testing to come back, and your friend was in such bad condition, I didn't feel we could wait. I ordered O- which is the universal donor, but your friends body had a . . . reaction. When the blood work finally came back. . . I don't know how it's possible but your friend has no known blood type."

"That's not possible." Alcide interrupted. "Everyone has a blood type." His eyebrows drew together, as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry sir, we just don't know. We ran the test several times to make sure it wasn't a mistake." She took in a deep breath before continuing. "Unfortunately, Miss Stackhouse has fallen into a coma, and without a transfusion, we're unsure if she will come out of it."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Tara sobbed.

"There is a chance, maybe a relative might have the same anomaly, but honestly your friend doesn't have much time left." The doctor placed her hand on Tara's arm. "If she has any family you should notify them, so they can have a chance to say goodbye. I'm sorry." She finished, giving Tara and Alcide a pained look, before turning and heading back from the way she came.

"Alcide, I'm going call Sookie's brother Jason and maybe he can contact some other family members, that might be willing to come." A slow solemn nod was his only reply. As she headed toward the nurses station, Tara wracked her brain other than Jason what family did Sookie have left? Her momma and daddy were gone, as well as her gran and granddaddy, her Aunt Linda too. Which left just Jason and Hadley, but lord only knew where that girl had gone off to. So then that really just left Jason. Maybe he might know of someone she was forgetting? She dialed and waited as it rang and rang and rang. "Come on Jason answer the damn phone, don't make me leave something like this on your fuckin' voicemail." She grumbled, causing the nurse to glance up from her paperwork. Tara ignored her pointed look.

"Hello?"

"It's me."

"Tara!"

"Yeah it's me, listen Jason something's happened, and Sookie's hurt real bad I need you to come to the hospital in Ruston."

"What? Wait, slow down, what happened to Sook? Is she gonna be alright?" He rambled anxiously. Tara dropped her head onto her free hand. She ignored the first part opting to explain that later and in person.

"I don't know Jason. The doctor says she needs blood, but she couldn't take the kind they gave her, they said that maybe they could find a match with someone in her family. Do you know your blood type?"

"I'm AB- will that work?" It was evident in Tara's voice that it wasn't when she responded.

"Jason is there anyone else in your family that we could try?"

"Only other person I can think of is Hadley, but I don't know where she is or how to reach her. I'll swing by Gran's, and grab the family bible just in case there's someone I'm forgettin'"

"Okay Jason, but please hurry the doctor said that she doesn't have a lot of time." He swore under his breath and disconnected. Tara stood at the nurses station for a bit longer, holding back her tears. She couldn't give up hope just yet.

An older nurse had escorted them into Sookie's room about an hour and a half ago. Tara sat in a chair by the bed watching Sookie's chest rise and fall with the help of a machine. Alcide on the other hand couldn't sit still, and alternated between pacing and bouncing his leg when he finally sat. The nurse checked in every half-hour or so and always she made sure to assure them that their friend was "holding her own." The nurse had just slipped out of the room for the second time when Jason swung around the corner nearly knocking her over.

"Sorry, sorry I'm here to see my sister Sookie?" Tara's legs wobbled, and felt like Jell-O from sitting for so long, as she rose and made her way to the door.

"In here Jason." Her voice was rough and cracked slightly on his name. Jason's eyes were only for Sookie as he entered the silent stillness of the room.

"Sook?" He stumbled to the bed, dropping to his knees with his head resting on Sookie's stomach. "What happened to ya' huh? Who did this to you?" Tears streamed unchecked down Jason's face as he wrapped his arms tightly around his little sister. Jason continued his one sided conversation as Lafayette entered the room.

"Sweet Lord!" he whispered, placing his hand over his heart, in an effort to stop the pain. Tara took in the sight of her cousin before wrapping her arms around him.

"I didn't think I wasn't ever gonna see you again." She muttered into his shoulder.

"Where was you? What happened, all of a sudden you was just gone." She kept her face pressed into him.

"Later LaLa I promise, it's just too much right now." Lafayette patted her back and squeezed her to him before they broke apart, and made their way over to Sookie's bed. Jason lifted his head.

"I damn near tore Gran's house apart looking for papers and such, but it was useless. It's just me left." Tara watched as he angrily scrubbed his hands across his face, and she felt the last of the hope she'd been harboring slip away. He looked at his sister laying there. "Ya know Sook's never really been sick before? Definitely never been in the hospital," he chuckled humorlessly "wasn't even born in one. Always so impatient huh Sook," Tara's eyes welled up as he squeezed Sookie's hand with a tiny smile "didn't help that momma was always puttin' things off 'til last minute, but Sookie decided she was comin' right then, daddy had to deliver her right on the dining room table. Saw more than I ever cared to." He shook his head sadly. "I was there when she entered this world, and now. . ." he sobbed. Tara and Lafayette sank to their knees on either side of him, and all three bowed their heads together crying. "She's all I got left. . . Goddammit Sook, don't to this to me. You can't leave me I fuckin' need you!" Jason wailed.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sookie's POV

As Sookie's mind swims back toward consciousness, her eyes flutter open briefly before instantly slamming back closed. She blinks rapidly in an attempt to acclimate her eyes to the blinding brightness. Slowly shapes begin to form and and she realizes she's in a hospital room.

"Hello?" her voice echoes in the otherwise silent hospital. Now curious she rises from the bed gingerly, checking herself over for injuries. Nothing hurts, in fact she'd wager to say she never felt better. "_So why am I in the hospital" _she ponders trying to remember what happened. Images flash of Bill biting her viciously, of him pinning her to the dirty floor of Alcide's truck. . . she shudders violently, banishing the thoughts back into the recesses of her mind. _"Merciful Jesus, am I dead?" _She realizes this thought doesn't bother her as much as it should. It seems peaceful where she is; calm. She scans with her "other" hearing, and can sense no one else nearby. _"Maybe this is some kind of in between? But what do I do to get to the otherside?"_ Deciding that staying where she is won't answer her questions, she wanders out into what appears to be an empty hospital. She stops just outside the room debating on which way to turn when she hears a woman's soft voice calling her name. It's not a voice she recognizes, but she heads in the direction she believes it is coming from anyway. She made a few wrong turns here and there, but all she had to do was double back to where she could again here the cajoling voice. At the end of a particularly long hallway she sees a large set of double doors, from which the sound seems to be emanating from. She pauses, after searching for so long, now she is unsure whether she is ready to continue. But thinking of what lies behind her, the pain and betrayal she has suffered from someone she loved, has her hand moving to the doors heavy handle. _"Better to move forward." _She tells herself swinging the doors open wide, revealing a bright and sunny meadow, with a shimmering pond in the center. A woman with long brown hair and a kind smile is waiting just off to the side. She stretches out her arm invitingly to Sookie.

"Come and play in the light." Sookie begins to move forward when a gentle hand on her shoulder stops her.

"No Miss Stackhouse it's a trick, she wishes to trap you here." This is a voice she knows but. . . she turns to see someone she never thought to ever see again.

"Godric?"

"This isn't any concern of yours abomination!" The once melodious voice has turned rough and feral and Sookie recoils as she sees that the once beautiful woman has somehow morphed into a truly menacing creature. Godric grabs her hand and they run, winding through the empty hospital corridors, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. A shout can be heard from behind them, but Sookie doesn't hear any other indication that they are being pursued. Godric stops in front of a different set of doors momentarily, tilting his head as though listening before easing them both inside. Sookie's eyes widen as she sees that they are now standing in a rolling, vibrant green countryside with only a scattering of ancient stones dotting the pristine expanse, and a deep blue-green ocean can be seen in the distance breaking against a rocky shoreline.

"Where are we?" Sookie says breathlessly.

"This is my homeland."

"You mean where you grew up?" Sookie asked genuinely curious about the 2000 year old vampire's human life.

"Yes, when I was a small child our village was here, this area used to be known as Gaul until it was conquered by the Romans."

"How did we get here? Is this real?"

I suppose it is real in a manner of speaking." Sookie crossed her arms and gave him a confused glare. Godric chuckled lightly before continuing. "You see, when I disappeared from the rooftop I somehow ended up here. I believed it to be my heaven, until one day I heard a voice. I followed it until I found this door, and on the other side an empty apartment building. Well, I thought it to be empty at first, but after some poking around I discovered a man named Barry. He asked if I had been the one calling to him. Of course it wasn't, so together we waited. After a few minutes passed I could hear someone saying his name from what sounded like quite a distance away. We followed the voice until we came to doors much like the ones you found today. I cautioned Barry, but he did not heed me. The doors opened and he was taken, I was not permitted to follow him. However, through the still open doors I saw them change the way that woman changed earlier." Sookie squeezed her eyes closed and tapped her fingers on her lips.

"You said the man you met was named Barry? Can you explain what he looked like to me?" If Godric found this an odd request he didn't say so.

"He was tall around six feet I'd say, short brown hair and hazel eyes, thin maybe 150 to 170 pounds."

"That sounds exactly like a bellboy named Barry I met when we were in Dallas. The thing is he's a telepath too, the **only** other telepath I've ever met. That has to be more than a coincidence, right?" Godric nodded slowly.

"Yes, I would definitely say so. When I saw what lay under the pretty facade' I realized what the creatures were. Fairies." Godric continued undaunted at Sookie's derisive snort. "I had long thought them to have died out. You see there were wars between my kind and theirs, lasting for decades, and their numbers were decimated. At least that is what they lead us to believe. From what I've recently seen I think that they were really moving themselves into little pockets of another realm. Now they are gathering those that share their blood, and trapping them here, though I do not know why. Barry has not been the only one either, there have been at least seven or eight others since. Today when I heard the calling of your name, it being so unique, I knew it must be you Miss Stackhouse. After your kindness to me in what should have been my last moments I could not allow you to be imprisoned by them as well." All questions about Godric's human life disappeared as Sookie's mind boggled at the amount of information he had given her in such a short amount of time.

"But Godric if you're right and they're gathering humans with fairy blood, what do they want with me? I can tell you nearly five generations of my family and I can say with some certainty that none of them were supernatural creatures." Godric looked at her sceptically.

"Miss Stackhouse. ."

"For goodness sake Godric, please call me Sookie. After all the crap we've been in together I think it's only right." A small smile danced at the corners of Godric's mouth.

"Indeed, but as I was trying to say you have to know that vampires think you smell particularly enticing correct?" Sookie nodded. How could she deny it, one had practically drained her only a short while ago. "Vampires find fairy blood irresistible, but I believe since you are not full fae this effect is muted. And your gift, you of course know that it is a rare one?" Again Sookie simply nodded. She didn't like how he was talking to her like a child, but she guessed compared to him she kind of was. "Have you ever done anything else that you couldn't explain?" Thoughts of the chain tightening around Mac Rattray's neck, and shooting Maryann with light from her hands came to mind. Instead of saying these things aloud she nodded once again though this time it might have been a little petulantly. Godric's eyes were filled with laughter at her antics.

"I do not mean to offend you Sookie, I just wonder how the idea of there being something supernatural in your blood has never occurred to you. If it were me I would be thankful for the understanding of where my abilities came from, but you fight against it so harshly. Why is that?"

"All my life, every second I can remember, I just wanted to be normal." Sookie gave him a bitter smile. "Hell even my own Momma was afraid of me. And now you want me to accept that I'm not even human. I'm sorry Godric, but that's a jagged pill to swallow for me."

"I apologize, I was not aware that you harbored these feelings. I have come to realize, very recently, that it does no good to hate yourself for what you are. We are all born under God, and all serve his purpose. I dare say it should not matter what we are, but rather who we are. When you pleaded with me to reconsider meeting the sun, your tears haunted me. How could anyone so good- so full of light, weep for something so evil- so full of darkness? In your genuine concern for someone you didn't know, I saw that there was still hope for the world. And you wish to be normal? You, Sookie, could never be called something as mundane as normal." Sookie smiled through her tears, a truly bright and beaming smile. Godric's words were beautiful, and though she didn't know if she believed them herself, she was glad that he had finally begun to move past his self hatred.

"Thank you Godric, you'll never know how your words have touched me. You know there is goodness in you too right?" Godric lowered his head bashfully, which only endeared her further to the the ancient boy. "Ya know, I thought I was dead too. . ." Her voice was filled with disappointment when the words tumbled out of her mouth without her meaning them to. Godric's mouth pursed into a thin line. He raised his eyebrow inquisitively. "When I first got here, I was in a hospital, and then I remembered what had happened to me. I thought I was somewhere between life and death, I thought that fairy was calling me to Heaven."

"Why is there such sadness when you say this? It was only a short while ago that you were championing living fiercely, what has happened to steal that vivacity from you?"

"Where the heck do I even start?" She shrugged her shoulders slightly, while shaking her head sadly. "It seems like ever since I met my first vampire, there's just been one threat to my life after another. But at the same time, I had found a man, er. . vampire that I loved more than I ever imagined I could. With my curse" she vaguely motioned to her head "I had accepted that I would probably wind up alone. I was so blindly happy," she paused gathering her thoughts "and then about two weeks ago, he asked me to marry him." A single tear spilled over, trekking its way down her cheek. Godric's cold fingers brushed it away, before placing his hand on her back, rubbing gently. He tilted his head to the side slightly,

"You did not wish to marry him?" he said frowning.

"No, I mean yes, but I was just so overwhelmed. I went to the bathroom, I needed a minute to think, everything was happening way too fast, ya know? But when I came back out he was gone."

"He left you?"

"He was kidnapped! Eric helped me to track him down in Mississippi, and I was already there when he finally decided to call. He told me to stop looking for him, that he didn't want to be found. He said he was with his maker. . and. . and" She could see the disgust written all over Godric's face so she knew he understood what she could not admit aloud, and more tears escaped. "I was so stupid, he told me he didn't love me. I should have went back home, but I so was stubborn, I didn't believe him. Why didn't I see it coming?" She looked at Godric questioningly.

"But how could you? Vampires are not human, we do not feel and think as you do. You did not fully understand this, it is not your fault. You know better now, and will not make the same mistakes again." If only that was all, just a life lesson, Sookie lamented. He must have seen something in her expression because he tilted up her chin, studying her face carefully. "He was more than just unfaithful, though. ." Sookie swallowed audibly, would admitting that the rest had actually happened finally break her completely?

"The King of Mississippi somehow found out about me and my telepathy, and he came to where I was staying and kidnapped me as well. He showed me this file that he said Bill had of me and my family, and kept asking me what I was. Maybe he thought I was a fairy too, I don't know, he didn't say."

She rambled as the thought occurred to her. "He made me realize just how much I didn't know about vampires. How much Bill had kept from me. I told him everything, all the weird stuff about me." Sookie wailed plaintively. "I hoped that if I told him the truth he might change his mind and stop Lorena from killing Bill. He didn't. He locked me in a room, but with the help of my friend Tara we escaped. Even after everything up to that point I couldn't leave Bill behind. It's all kind of a blur, but I somehow managed to stake Lorena and rescued Bill. We were free, on our way back home. . . but Bill was so weak. I wasn't sure he would make it. I gave him my blood. . ." She had been crying throughout, but at this she finally broke down sobbing uncontrollably. Her legs would no longer hold her weight and she sank gracelessly to her knees. Godric followed her down and pulled her into his arms, trying in vain to console her. They stayed that way as the pain and shame poured out of her, leaving her a hollow empty shell of the woman she used to be. "The man I loved. . he. .he. ." she choked around the remaining words, she tried to fight against the block in her throat, but the words simply wouldn't come. Tears obscured Sookie's vision, but she brought her eyes up to meet Godric's ancient ones anyway, never before having felt so broken. He pulled her more tightly to his chest, his face pressing into her shoulder as he murmured.

"To have happened to one so full of goodness, I'm sorry Sookie. I would not have wished this horror for you." His embrace was filled with so much kindness, but there was understanding there as well. They lay down in the grass looking up into the beautiful azure sky, two battered souls, finding comfort in knowing that they were not alone in their pain.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tara POV

Tara watched as the doctor spoke to Jason in the hall, her heart aching as she saw the playful inner light that had always seemed to animate him slowly disappear. Afterward, he made his way to Sookie's bed looking defeated, and pulled the chair he'd abandoned before even closer to her side. He stared down into his sister's unconscious face.

"I'm right here Sook, and I'll stay right here 'til the end. I won't let you die alone like Momma and Daddy and Gran did. I swear I'll be right here holding your hand, we'll face whatever comes together okay? Tara had loved Jason for as long as she could remember, he'd always been so strong and protective, but she had never loved him like she did at those words. He really was a good man, even if he sometimes got mixed up, and did stupid things. Tara wondered how Jason would go on without any family left. Sookie, Jason, and Gran had pulled together after all the loss they had experienced into the most loving and connected family she'd ever seen, and it was so unfair that death had decided to break even that apart as well. Jason had gone quiet, his face scrunched up like he was attempting to do complicated math equations, and Tara's mouth twitched into a whisper of a smile.

"Something bugging you Jason?" She asked wondering what he could be thinking about so hard.

"You said you kicked that bastard vamp out into the sun? You think that asshole's dead then?" Tara had been asking herself the same thing ever since it happened.

"I don't know, it was so weird he wasn't even smokin' or nothing. I'd always thought it'd be like whoosh, an inferno." She rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. "But there wasn't anything else around for miles, no shelter, so I mean even though we didn't get to see it, he had to of burned up right?"

"Wrong." Said a voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to see who was intruding in on their conversation. An older man stood framed in the doorway, with the craziest white hair Tara had ever seen. It stuck up every which way in a half electrocuted, half wind blown style. His clothes were equally just as odd, as he was currently garbed in a gray pinstripe three piece suit, that looked like it came straight out of the early 1900's. A matching pocket watch and an old fashioned silver handled walking stick gripped in his left hand, completed the eccentric ensemble. Tara didn't know who this crazy man was, but she wanted to know what right he thought he had in interrupting such a private time. Tara, who had never been known for her tactfulness, burst from where she was seated geared up and ready to light into his inconsiderate ass.

"Just who the hell do you think you are coming in here like this? Can't you see that this is not the time for your fuckin' crazy." Tara was in her zone, with all the anger and hurt she'd been feeling fueling her, she was just reaching her stride. She took a breath preparing to continue when his hand lifted, and she could a see ball of the purest white light hovering in his palm. She stumbled back a few steps in shock. "What the. . ."

"You, little human, should watch who you speak to that way. You have no idea who or more importantly **what** I am." Tara's head darted around the room her eyes racing to meet each of her friend's, to see if they had any idea what was happening. Everyone seemed to be just as astonished as she was however, so she turned her eyes back focusing on the pulsing orb. The strange man/thing tilted his head considering, bouncing the light up and catching it in his palm like, it was indeed, an actual ball. "However, as it seems you were only attempting to protect the sanctity of my granddaughter's sick room. . ." His sentence trailed off, and he extinguished the light, pulling it back from where ever it had came. "I suppose I will allow the insult to pass. But know if you ever speak to me in such a manner again, I will not be so forgiving." Jason remained where he was stationed next to his sister, but had angled his body in front of hers keeping himself between her and the odd man.

"Umm excuse me Mr. . ."

"Niall" He supplied seemingly amused.

"Mr. Niall,"

"No, not Mr. Niall, Niall is my given name." Jason's face again scrunched up, this was all just too much for his limited thinking. Tara bristled as the man/thing chuckled. She reined herself in however, adjusting her words and tone before explaining.

"He means his first name Jason." Jason's eyes lit with understanding.

"Why didn't he just say that then? Anyways Niall, my names Jason, Jason Stackhouse, and this here's my sister Sookie. And uh. . . I don't mean no disrespect or nothin' but our Granddaddy's name was Earl. So maybe, and again I mean no disrespect, but maybe you've got us mixed up with someone else." The odd man started laughing outright at Jason's polite rambling.

"I assure you, I am not confused. I can smell my blood in you both, and how did you word it?" He snickered. "Ah yes, your _Granddaddy Earl_, was my son." Jason looked a little green, his disgust evident as he said.

"You mean to say my great gran and you? She cheated on my great granddaddy?"

"Lucky, for you she did. Otherwise, you would not be here. The man you believed to be your great grandfather contracted some human disease as a child, which had left him unable to have children." Tara watched as the wheels turned in Jason's mind, and she cruelly shot Lafayette a knowing smile. He rallied though, thank the Lord, he sure was firing on all cylinders today.

"So you're our great granddaddy. Hey! Is that why Sookie's so. . . um different?" Niall looked a bit annoyed by this.

"Your sister is the very embodiment of our kind, but I suppose to a human" he said as though the word left a bad taste in his mouth "she might seem that way. Your sister's spark is very strong, she's been showing her true nature for some time now, even though she still has a small while until she fully matures."

"I'm sorry to interrupt" Tara said contritely "but you said your kind, what uh. . . what is that exactly?" Niall looked her over appraisingly. She must have passed his test because he finally answered.

"We are fae." As though no other explanation should be needed.

"You mean like fairies?" Tara asked, trying to wrap her mind around it.

"Hell no I ain't no fairy!" Jason shouted from his post in front of Sookie. Tara sighed, before glancing at Lafayette, exasperated at Jason's narrow-mindedness.

"Jason he doesn't mean you're. . ." Niall cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand at her.

"He's right he does not have the spark, he has a few of our abilities, but he would not be considered a fairy." 

"Damn right!" Jason grumbled stupidly. Tara rubbed her forehead tiredly. _I can definitely see the family resemblance. _She thought ruefully.

"That's all wonderful, really, but why is it that you're just showing up now? Sookie's lyin' there dyin', and now's the time you just happen to pop up?" Lafayette said finally stepping into the conversation. Tara felt like shrinking back at Niall's withering glare, but Lafayette squared his shoulders, and returned it with one of his own. 

"Do not question my devotion to my blood. I have stayed in the shadows of their life to keep them hidden, and thereby safe from my enemies."

"So Sookie's in danger from them too? Fuck!" Jason swore ripping at his hair in agitation. "How the fuck am I supposed to keep her safe from fuckin' vamps **and** fairies, huh?"

"My enemies are still unaware of your and Sookie's existence. Unfortunately, I was a little remiss in anticipating the draw Sookie would have to vampires. I was only made aware that there was an issue a short while ago, when a vampire got into our realm, and slaughtered one of my tribe. I immediately made my way to my fallen kin, but it was to late. She perished and has gone to the Summerlands." Tara was surprised to hear the genuine grief in his voice as he talked.

"Bill?" She prodded gently, feeling more empathy for Niall than she would have believed possible. He jerked his head once affirmatively.

"I believe so. As I said earlier I can sense my blood, the monster that killed Claudette, had, had a dangerous amount of Sookie's. That is how he was permitted into Faery. If this Bill is the one that nearly drained my granddaughter, then they are one and the same."

"Did ya kill him?" Jason asked angrily.

"Sadly I wasn't able. I pursued him, but he disappeared back to this realm. After the threat to my kind was gone, I followed the link in our blood to find Sookie. I had not felt her pass, but I knew she was fading. I will track him down and take vengeance, but saving Sookie was of more immediate importance."

"You can heal her?" Tara couldn't tamp down the hope exploding through her, and a few stray tears of relief formed in her eyes.

"I can. You love my granddaughter truly, it fills me with joy that she has such a good friend." Niall placed his hand on her shoulder, and gave her a happy smile. Tara knew that this man was not one to carelessly toss around such sentiments, and she felt pride in being the recipient of such a compliment. Niall crossed the room with a regal sort of grace, and stopped in front of Jason. "You must allow me access to her my son." Jason held his ground, but after a moment or two of silent debate he moved only enough for Niall to squeeze in beside him, as Jason refused to let go of his sister's hand. Niall looked at him questioningly at this, but Jason held firm.

"I promised to not let go no matter what."

"It is possible that you are more fae than I thought." Niall stated proudly, before he turned his attention to Sookie. His face was all seriousness, his eyes scrutinizing thoroughly. "This vampire, Bill, has he given Sookie a large quantity of his blood?" Jason shrugged his shoulders.

"I know he gave her some to heal her after she was attacked by Rene'. Tara?"

"From what she's told me that was just one of many. Shit Jason, he gave her his blood the night after they met, and I can think of one or two other times she told me about as well." Tara answered feeling like she was breaking her friends confidence.

"He was getting her under his sway, she's been acting very unlike herself lately?" Lafayette who'd moved to the other side of the bed spoke up.

"Like night and day."

"What do you mean sway? Cause I know Sookie can't be glamored by them." Tara asked while moving up to the other side of the bed with Lafayette.

"As fae we are immune to their glamor, but if they get enough of their blood into our bodies we become a kind of willing slave to them. They can control our emotions almost entirely, imagine as a vampire, having a never ending supply of the sweetest blood you've ever tasted that's only too happy to share it. This doesn't happen often however, firstly because we have moved ourselves away from this realm, but also because, not many vampires have the control to stop themselves from draining the fae."

"So you're saying that even if you do heal her she'll just go runnin' back to Bill." Tara was horrified. It would all be for nothing, and she'd still wind up with her friend dead.

"Not at all, as I said it is rare, but not unheard of. We have a way of reversing this, in fact he's already done the most difficult part for me." Niall moved his finger tips up to Sookie's temples. He gathered his light around himself until he was lit up like a beacon. Slowly and steadily it began to stream into Sookie's body. The entire room remained still, fascinated at the sight before their eyes. They waited with baited breath as Sookie's body started to glow just as brightly. Niall kept up the constant stream of light for quite awhile before he allowed the flow to gently tapper off. They all watched Sookie with rapt attention, waiting to see if she would awake. Niall on the other hand was patting at his pockets, and inspecting the room. Obviously not finding whatever it was he was looking for he glanced down at the I.V. dangling from Sookie's arm. "What is this? What does it do?"

"It puts the medicine that's in that bag into Sookie's blood." Tara replied, while gesturing to the fluid bag attached to the I.V. pole, unsure whether she was feeling more disappointed or confused.

"I suppose this will have to do then. He took one end of his walking stick in each hand and pulled it apart deftly, the end coming away to reveal a deadly looking silver dagger. He pulled the tube from the fluid bag holding it up momentarily, before slicing into his wrist with the dagger and inserting the tube into the wound. This time all eyes were on the tube as they watched the clear fluid replaced with Niall's dark red blood. This time the response from Sookie was obvious, as the blood fully reached the other side and began to flow into her body, her entire form jerked violently on the bed.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter contains my description of Godric's history. It contains mentions of both sexual and physical abuse, and while they are not graphic, if these might bother you in any way please DO NOT read. I'm also still looking for a beta, if anyone is interested please PM me. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 4

Sookie POV

Time slipped away from them quickly as they lay simply holding hands in the lush, fragrant grass. So many thoughts fluttered in and out of her mind, but Sookie found that any serious or sad thought never stayed for long. She wondered if it was possible to just stay right where she was forever. She knew that her friends and Jason must be sick with worry, questioning where she'd gone off to, but this was the first place she'd ever really felt at peace. She enjoyed the way the sun warmed her down to her very soul, as though it could chase the darkness of her memories away. It had been so long since she'd indulged in her one and only vice. She had gotten so wrapped up in her relationship with Bill, that before she knew it she had found herself keeping vampire hours in order to spend all her free time with him. Up until this moment she hadn't realized how much she missed the sun.

She recalled the first dream she'd ever had after Eric had tricked her into taking his blood. What had he said? That she could trade the sun for the moon and stars, and hadn't that been what she'd been doing with Bill? So gradually it was barely noticeable, she'd allowed her whole life to revolve around him. His world becoming hers. _Maybe that dream was more than just Eric's blood talkin', and I was trying to warn myself. _She sighed, _how was I so blind? I don't want to only live in the dark. _Her head rolled to the side, her eyes dancing over Godric's profile. What must have it been like, never feeling the sun's warmth for over 2000 years? _Sweet Lord! You really are stupid sometimes Sookie Stackhouse. How have I become so self involved, that I didn't realize. . . _Sookie rolled onto her side staring down into Godric's upturned face.

"Godric the sun. . .how?" And for the first time ever Sookie heard Godric laugh. It was so magical, Sookie's inner scolding was instantly forgotten. The millennia of suffering vanished from his features, and finally she could see just a young man who looked to be no more than twenty.

"I was curious as to when you would notice Sookie, the sun has been shining on us the entire time we've been here!" She smiled indulgently in return, he was just too adorable with his eyes lit up with genuine mirth, and a goofy smile gracing his lips.

"Well excuse me mister! I've had a bit on my mind." She teased unable to suppress her own fit of giggles. Godric's happiness was contagious, and Sookie couldn't help but lose herself to it.

"The truth is I do not know, when I felt the sun on my skin in Dallas it did not hurt, and even though I wanted to burn, I was afraid of what lie in store for me. I prayed that God would forgive me, and allow me into Heaven. I pictured my home the way I remembered it before the Romans. The light grew hot, and then that memory became reality, and I stood in the sun without fear for the first time in so long." Sookie eyes welled with happy tears and she smiled mischievously.

"Well it would be a shame to waste it then huh? Wanna play in the sun with me? That is if you think you can keep up old man." Sookie quickly wiped away her tears and scrambled to her feet. She took off at a dead sprint toward the far off ocean. She knew that if Godric wanted he could catch her with no effort on his part at all, but it seemed that for now at least, he was playing fair and only running at a human speed. She had some difficulty in making her way over the rocky border that edged along the beach, but Godric was a true gentleman, and didn't tease her for it. The sand was warm under her bare feet, and she scrunched in her toes, enjoying the sensation. "This place really is amazing, I can't even begin to imagine what it was like to grow up here." When she heard no response she turned to see that Godric's sorrow was again written all over his young face.

"My very best memories are of this place, but still I do not find happiness here."

"Why? Have you been lonely here all this time all by yourself?" Sookie mused aloud.

"You are more right than you know. I have felt loneliness for most of my existence. I turned Eric trying to fill that void, and while he was and is my greatest achievement, it still plagued me. There has always been this sense that a piece of myself was missing. I believed that as an immortal one day I would find it, but in the last decade or so I have come to understand that for more than two thousand years, I have loved a dream." His eyes screamed at a brokenness that surpassed anything Sookie could fathom.

"I've always felt alone; isolated from everyone else. I guess, even when I was with Bill." She paused as a thought tickled at the edges of her subconscious. "Ya know ever since I've been here, I've been wondering why I felt so comfortable here, but now I don't think its the place at all. Somehow it's like this curtain was removed from my eyes. I was searching so desperately for someone to love and accept me that I couldn't see Bill for who he really was. It didn't matter that he was a vampire, our relationship was built on secrets and lies." Sookie rubbed at her temples. "I was so desperate to be loved that I didn't care if it was real. What is it you've been searchin' for Godric?"

"I wished to be loved Sookie, unconditionally loved in spite of what I am." He murmured sadly. "I'm loved by my child, but it is not a romantic love. I have come to accept that, because of what I've done in my past, I should not even hope for it. Yet still, I would endure an eternity of torture, if only to experience it for just a single moment." Sookie grasped his hand in hers tightly.

"I know exactly how you feel." Even with all the years Godric had roamed this planet, he was just as lost and desolate as she was. Sookie led Godric to where they were up to their ankles in the icy water and began splashing him enthusiastically. He made a half-hearted attempt to reciprocate, but neither was able to let themselves go completely again.

Sookie was shivering slightly when the two of them made their way back out onto the beach some time later. For the entirety of the day the sun had remained centered high in the sky, and while Sookie couldn't be sure how much time had passed, it had to of been at least a few hours since she had first arrived. "Does the sun ever go down here?"

"Not that I have ever seen."

"Does that make you sleepy all the time?"

"I have never felt the pull of the sun as other vampires do, I do sleep, but I am not forced to like the rest of my kind."

"Always? What did your maker think?" Godric looked down at his feet.

"I do not know, when I awoke my first night as a vampire he was gone." Sookie placed her hand under his chin, and tilted his head up so she could look into his eyes.

"Godric there's nothin' for you to be ashamed of, he is the one who did something wrong." Godric shook his he vehemently.

"You do not understand, my maker was not like so many others, he rescued me and he gave me a choice before I entered this life." Sookie's arms crossed in front of her and she blew a quick exhale through her nose. Godric placed his hand on her arm, as though accepting her doubt. "When my village was conquered by the Roman's the old and feeble were killed, but the young were taken as slaves. We were branded and traded like cattle, and I endured many years of cruelty at the hands of my masters, but I did not know true savagery until I was sold to what would be my final owner. As slaves we became accustomed to certain inhumanities," Sookie sucked in a breath fully prepared to rally against such treatment of anyone let alone, someone as kind and sensitive Godric.

"How could anyone. . ."

"Hush do not worry for me, I have accepted my past as it was many, many years ago. I will not taint you with the specifics of the atrocities that occurred at the hands of our masters. I will only say that Appipius, had a penchant for sexual sadism, and a special liking for young men. I was stubborn in my youth and refused to be broken, and found small ways to hold onto the tatters of what remained of my dignity. He took great pleasure in the challenge I presented, and as it turned out, my refusal to let go of my unbending need for self-respect was my downfall. In the end, I had simply pushed him too far. When he was done with me I prayed that oblivion would take me, but I suffered on for days. Having lost the tenacity and fight that my master had so reveled in, I was tossed out into the stable like a lame animal to die. I lay there waiting for death, ready to fall into its arms willingly, but when it finally came it was not in the form I expected. Nearly a week passed when suddenly a man just appeared, looking no more than a few years older than myself. He soothed me and wondered after the monster who had harmed me. I'd not had water in many days so I was unable to tell him, but it didn't matter as in the blink of an eye he was gone and back, my master dragging along behind him. I remember speculating that he had been able to see my thoughts. He ranted at Appipius about how only someone soulless could do such things to a child." Godric chuckled. "It's humorous that even now two millennium later, how it still chafes at me to be considered a child. He tore my master apart with no more difficulty than one pulls the wings off a fly, and afterward offered me a choice, the power to never again be a victim or death. You know what my choice was, but as I drifted away in the last moments of my human life I remember the palpable sorrow in his voice as he apologized." Godric shrugged his shoulders. "So you see my maker was honorable, I've come to believe he simply found something lacking in me."

"It's so unchristian of me, but I'm glad that, whoever your maker was, he killed that monster. And I'm sure that your maker wouldn't have left you unless he absolutely had to, like maybe he was hurt or something." Godric gave her a knowing smile.

"Thank you for that. That's what I'd like to believe as well."

"Thank you for telling me your history. You are far better than me Godric, I don't know that I would ever have had it in me to let it go. What Bill did seems so minor in comparison, and yet I'm just so. . . ugh I don't even have words!" She exclaimed stomping her foot. "I just . . . I . . .I want to drive a stake through his heart!

"Sookie I did not tell you my story to make any less of what happened to you. Your feelings are valid, violation comes in many forms one no more grievous than another. The pain is the same." Sookie brought her hand up to rest gently on his face, swiping her thumb back and forth against his proud cheekbone.

"You really are the most. . ." she whispered her face moving closer to his, "awe-inspiring person, I think I will ever know." she lowered her lips to kiss the corner of his mouth. "You are all heart and spirit, there's so much goodness in you, it makes me so sad that you can't see it."

"Sookie . . .?" He asked as he brought his lips just a breath away from hers, leaving her to close the distance between them. Their kiss was chaste, and yet brimming with reverence. Godric's lips moved from her mouth to trail sweet fluttering kisses across her cheeks and forehead. Sookie felt the love he had harbored for thousands of years in each brush of his lips, like it had been there waiting all this time just for her. It was crazy, and oh so fast, but she wasn't scared like she had been with Bill. She searched her heart and mind for a single hesitation, but found none. Their foreheads pressed together as their hands roamed each other's bodies, and while there was passion in their touches, it was more than that. It was like finding the rarest treasure, and needing to hold it in your hands to feel its weight, so you know that it really exists. Godric's fingers tickled over her bare shoulders and clavicles, while her own found purpose in sliding down his chest, and across his stomach along the sparse dusting of hair she found there. Her fingers skimmed to just above were his pants had come to rest, she watched as Godric's eyes slammed closed and his mouth opened with a pant. Sookie allowed her fingernails to scape lightly over his skin, dragging them back and forth, before trailing up again. He cupped her cheek in his palm, his fingers stroking against the sensitive skin behind her ear. Sookie leaned into the touch, as they stared into each others eyes.

"Godric. . ." She sighed, but was cut off as white hot pain scorched through her chest, like a hand was clenching around her heart, and pulling. She screamed in agony, and Godric's arms tightened around her.

"What is it? What is wrong?" Before she could answer, there was another pull, this time nearly completely bending her backward. Bloody tears ran down Godric's face. "Have I found you after all this time only to lose you?" Sookie brought her shaking hand up to Godric's face clumsily smearing his tears across his cheek.

"No!" She wailed, but she knew it was a lie as her light poured from her chest, and she felt herself slipping out of Godric's embrace as again her world went dark


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Tara POV

"She's fighting against me. . she doesn't wish to return." Niall moaned, as Sookie's chest bowed up off the bed, like a puppet whose strings were being jerked. A sheen of sweat glistened his brow, and Niall swayed on his feet tiredly. Tara was forced to look away, she simply couldn't watch anymore.

"Is it worth puttin' her through this? Are we being selfish draggin' her back to all the misery and heartbreak that's waitin' for her?" Jason squeezed Sookie's cast covered hand in his. A stubborn expression, so like his sister's, on his face.

"Don't talk like that. I know my sister, Sook. wouldn't choose to leave us, ain't no way!"

"Jason, Tara's not sayin' Sook don't love us, she's sayin' that she might be sufferin' a whole lot less where she is!"

"No Goddammit! Stackhouse's are fighter's, no way Sookie would rather roll over and give up!" Their dispute was cut short as a series of chilling shrieks tore from Sookie's throat. Sookie's thrashing grew even more frantic, and suddenly it was like a flash bomb went off, the room exploding in a blinding light. Tara was thrown from her feet, the wind knocked out of her as she smacked against the wall behind her. She slid down the wall in a daze, before she came crashing to the floor. Tara panted in a few breaths, her ribs screaming in protest as she tried to get her bearings. Her eyes scanned the room, and she noticed that only Niall had remained standing. Jason had landed across the room on the floor, and while he looked pissed, he didn't suffer any injuries. Lafayette hadn't fared as well as the others though, he'd struck the back of his head on the sink counter, and it was bleeding profusely. He'd stayed slumped where he'd fallen, and Tara painfully scrambled over to him.

"You alright?" She asked at the time a gasping and raw "NO!" rang throughout the room. All eyes turned to the bed, to see that Sookie's eyes were now wide open, and filled with a frenetic derangement that caused Tara to shudder. Sookie began clawing at herself, and Jason and Niall were instantly at her side, trying to keep her from yanking out the I.V., oxygen and other assorted tubes that engulfed her. Tara was torn between helping Lafayette or trying to aide with Sookie. Lafayette saw her indecision.

"I'll be fine, just need some gauze or something to put pressure on it with." He dismissed as he began opening the drawers next to the sink, and rummaging through the various items within. Seeing that he seemed to know what he was doing, Tara picked her aching body up off the floor, and made her way to Sookie's bed. Jason and Niall had, for the most part, managed to keep her from hurting herself or them, but she was still far from calm. Tara sat on the edge of the bed, and began to stroke Sookie's hair.

"Ssh it's alright, you're okay." She crooned over and over, until Sookie's thrashing lessened to a violent trembling. Tara then climbed into the bed next to her, tugging and shifting, till finally Sookie was lying on her side, and they were facing one another. Niall and Jason let Sookie go, watching in hushed anticipation. Sookie hadn't fought Tara, but she was still clearly overwrought. Tara began humming an old hymn, one Gran had often sang to them when they were sick. Jason and Lafayette joined in, and after a few moments, Sookie's eyes blinked owlishly.

"Godric?" She asked her eyes flickering from face to face. She scanned the rest of the room expectantly, her expression changing to one of a bone deep sorrow when she didn't find what it was she was looking for. "Just a dream." She mumbled against her hands as she pressed them to her face, and began weeping.

"Sook. you alright?" Sookie didn't reply just mashed against her hands even tighter, like she was trying to shut them out. Tara tugged Sookie's hands away in frustration, and only managed an inch or so, but it was enough for her to see the blonde was looking at her.

"Sookie are you alright!" She remained silent, and Tara realized that Sookie was staring at her hand, not at her as she had thought. "Sookie!"

"Blood." Sookie said, turning her palm to show Tara.

"They probably just missed it when they cleaned you up earlier. I'll just go get a wet rag and we'll wash it off, no big deal." Tara shrugged nonchalantly, though a feeling of apprehension coiled in her stomach as she turned in order to get up.

"No!" Sookie said while roughly seizing Tara's arm and yanking until Sookie's hand was smack up against her face. "It's Godric's!" Tara's eyes warily darted around before falling on Jason, who was looking at his sister like she'd suddenly sprouted a second head.

"Sook. you talkin' about that nice vampire boy who died in Dallas?"

"He didn't die!" She shouted.

"Now Sook., you watched him burn up in the sun remember?" Jason held his hands out pleadingly.

"I watched him disappear, but he didn't die. He somehow ended up in a little pocket of another realm. I was there too, I saw him!" Niall stepped up to the bed, placing both hands on the side rail, and looking down at his granddaughter indulgently.

"That sounds like some dream you had, but I assure you that if there was a vampire in our realm we would be able to sense it."

"Who are you?" Sookie asked momentarily distracted by his presence.

"Oh sorry, I should have introduced ya'll sooner. Sook. this here's our great granddaddy Niall." Jason explained. Now it was Sookie's turn to look at Jason like he was the crazy one.

"What?" Sookie was silent, squinting her eyes in concentration for a few moments. "Jason Stackhouse you big dummy! Some random person comes, tells you that he's your great granddaddy, and you just believe him? You just accept that our great gran had some affair? What's wrong with you? And then like icing on the cake, you let some stranger give me his blood!" Sookie said ripping the I.V. tube from Niall's arm dropping it carelessly to the floor. "What in the world was going through your mind?"

"I was thinkin' that I wanted it to be true, 'cause then there might be a chance you wouldn't die!" He shouted back, and Sookie instantly looked contrite.

"I'm sorry Jason," She paused and thumped her cast free fist against the mattress. "Actually I want to say sorry to everyone. I realize now that I've been a little hard to get along with lately. I got so lost in my relationship with Bill, that I didn't see how it was changing me. Anyway, thanks for puttin' up with me." Sookie dropped her head unable to meet any of their eyes.

"It's okay Sook., actually Granddaddy Niall, already kinda explained what was goin' on with you." Sookie turned to Niall.

"Explained what exactly?"

"As you just said, you haven't quite been yourself recently. By Bill giving you so much of his blood he was able to influence your emotions. This is only speculation on my part, but I believe he was trying to separate you from your friends. If you were, well difficult to be around that made it easier for him to isolate and thereby control you. We call it being under a vampire's sway, and it was one of many reasons that we fled this realm." Sookie scrubbed at her eyes.

"So he can control how I feel?" She said tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Not anymore, I washed away his darkness with my light, it's fortuitous that he had already removed a lot of his own blood when he. . ." Niall held his hands out, his gesture encompassing the hospital bed Sookie was lying in.

"I'm free from him!" Her voice was full of gratitude and relief. Tara grasped Sookie's hand.

"There's something else you should know though Sook., when Bill . . .did what he did, it gave him access to their realm." She said pausing to nod her head in Niall's direction. "While he was there. . .well he killed someone." Niall snorted derisively.

"He did not just kill anyone though, he killed your cousin, Claudette." Sookie's head jerked back, and she gasped.

"My cousin?" She whispered. "Was she the only other family that we have?"

"No, you have three uncles, two surviving cousins, and my mother."

"Wow, our great, great gran is still alive? Ya'll must live for a long time! Do you think that someday we'll get to meet her?" Sookie perked up interested.

"She is, we age much more slowly than humans. But Sookie. . ." His eyes got a hard glint to them, and his voice was grave as he continued. "I hope that you never meet my mother, Queen Maab, she has lost her inner light, and become someone I no longer know. She has an abhorrence for those with human blood, and has recruited your cousin Claudine to her cause. They wish to eradicate those of less than pure blood." Sookie's eyes glazed over, as she was lost in thought.

"Your mother is a queen? Does that make us like princes and princesses?" Jason said in awe, but before Niall could answer, the door swung open, and the nurse came bustling in. She came to a jerking halt just inside the door.

"What in the world. . ." she stammered as she took in chaos of the room. She collected herself, rather quickly though, and plastered a false cheerful smile across her face. "Look at you!" She cooed dulcetly at Sookie. "We've been wondering when you were gonna wake up!" Tara untangled herself from Sookie's many accessories, and climbed off the bed, coming to stand on the other side, partially obscuring the nurse's view of Sookie.

"She just woke up a few seconds ago, thank you and the doctors so much for saving her! I don't think we can ever repay you for bringing her back to us. My cousin was so overwhelmed he actually fainted, can you believe it? And darned if he didn't hit his head as he fell." She babbled, laying it on thick. The nurse tilted her head slightly, before shaking it, a genuine smile forming.

"We're happy to have helped let me just pop out, and go grab the doctor." She was gone in a flash, a jubilant spring in her step. Tara glanced at the door, they didn't have much time until the nurse would be returning. She hurried over to the I.V. stand and quickly reattached the tube that Sookie had left dangling to drip on the floor. Her eyes combed the room rapidly for anything else out of place.

"Lafayette close those drawers!" She said as she straightened the chairs. "Sook. could you hear her? What was she thinkin'?"

"She believed you, mostly she was just surprised to see me awake is all. But she's seen a lot of people defy what the doctors thought, she believes it's just God's way, and we're not always supposed to understand the how." Tara nodded agreeing fully, thinking she would prefer to live in blissful ignorance to all the supernatural shit that seemed to surround her friend.

The doctor came rushing in just a few seconds later, her eyes trained on Sookie, and her mouth fell agape. She hurried to the bedside without a word, to begin poking and prodding at Sookie. There didn't appear to be a single area she left unexplored, a look of astonishment clearly etched on her face. When she finally ran out of things to check, she tugged off her rubber gloves, and tapped her fingers against lips. She stood silently, her eyebrow furrowed in thought, before finally turning to the nurse, and ordering a barrage of tests. Sookie had submitted to the extensive examination without fussing, but flat out refused the tests.

"I'm just a waitress, I don't have any insurance, and I sure don't have the money to pay for all that out of pocket!" Sookie folded her arms across her chest with finality.

"Miss Stackhouse, please be reasonable! You may want to act as though nothing happened, but you were on death's door when you first arrived here. There are anomalies in your blood that we can't explain! That's not to mention there is no logical justification for your recovery. I don't mean to frighten you, but there have been documented cases showing that there can be a false rallying in dying patients!"

"I'm not dyin'! A little sore yes, but I'm fine! Look." With no shortage of wincing and grimacing, Sookie managed to sit up. Sookie took a moment to allow the pain to fade a bit, before gesturing as if to say ta-da. Tara couldn't help but chuckle at her friends antics. "See I told you. Now, I could really use some help to the bathroom. Then I'd really like to go home."

"Miss Stackhouse, you can't be serious! As your doctor I can't in good conscious allow you to just walk out of here." Jason stepped forward.

"Look doc, my sister's real stubborn, you ain't gonna be able to convince her different, once Sook's got her mind set to somethin' it's like talkin' to a brick wall. If it makes ya feel better, I'll stay with her for the next few days to make sure she don't go overboard." Jason gave her his best good 'ole boy smile. "I'll take real good care of her, promise." The doctor got a glazed look, and blushed.

"Mmm, al. . .alright Mr. Stackhouse, if I have your word. But if there's any sign that something's wrong please bring her back." She cleared her throat, her fingers toying with her necklace. "Tess, can you help Miss Stackhouse to the restroom? I'm going to take Mr. Stackhouse out to the hall to sign the paperwork, and to go over her care instructions. Mr Stackhouse. . Shall we?" Jason bowed gallantly, extending his hand out to indicate for her to go first.

"After you Miss." The forty something doctor giggled like a tween, before heading through the door, Jason following all the while keeping up his flirting. Tara rolled her eyes. _I swear that boy could charm the panties off a freakin' nun._ Tara slumped down in the chair next to Lafayette, exhausted. She loved the Stackhouse's, but man they sure could wear a person out.

"How's the head?" She said pulling his hand away, getting a look at it for herself.

"Got one hell of a headache, but I got's me somethin' at the house that'll knock it right out." He assured smiling playfully. "Why don't you come over, take a break from the crazy." Tara opened her mouth to decline, but Lafayette stopped her with flick of his hand. "We don't need to talk 'bout whatever's been goin' on with you tonight. But believe me hooker, we will talk." Tara bumped her shoulder against his in silent agreement.


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Two chapter's in one day! It's not as wonderful as it sounds though. My son has a horrible ear infection and I probably won't be able to write much for the next few days, so I wanted to give you guys some of sort of consolation. I'd also like to take a sec. to thank everyone for adding me to their story alerts and favorites, as well as everyone for the wonderfully kind reviews, I usually thank everyone individually, but have been too busy the last few days. Oh! Almost forgot this is only partially beta'd by the truly amazing Vikinglass25, so all mistakes are mine! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6

Sookie POV

Sookie's legs wobbled like a newborn deer's, and her body screamed in pain, as the nurse helped her to the restroom. Tess, was a loud broadcaster, but she was a deep down good person, so Sookie was able to push the gentle yammering to the back of her mind easily. She clutched her hand around her bloody palm like a life line. Sookie knew that what she had experienced with Godric was not a dream, her friends could think she was crazy all they wanted. It was real, more real than anything she'd ever felt before. It was probably safer to for them to think it was just a dream, especially Niall, at least until she could figure out a way to get him back.

"Can I have some privacy?" Sookie pleaded, as they reached the bathroom door. The nurse looked doubtful. "Please, just a few minutes?" The nurse debated uncertainly, before nodding.

"I'll be right outside the door."

"Thank you." Sookie slowly shuffled her way into the tiny room, closing the door behind her. She stood in front of the sink, looking at her distorted reflection, in the cheap mirror. Bill had really done a number on her. The bruises on her face and body would fade with time, but she knew there would be many scars to wear, as a reminder of his betrayal, for the rest of her life. She angled her neck toward the mirror painfully, trying to become accustomed to the new reality of her appearance. For now though, all she could really see was a mass of black stitches, against her sickening pale flesh. Her left arm was wrapped in a bulky cast, that only just allowed her wiggling fingers to poke out, so she used her uninjured hand to examine the parts of her that weren't visible in the mirror. Scratches and bumps were littered across the skin of her shoulders, arms and breasts, but as she reached her lower abdomen, only barely covered by the flimsy hospital gown, she couldn't bring herself to bring her hand any lower. She shifted on her unsteady legs, and that was enough to let her know that the damage to her private areas would be more horrific than that to her neck and arm. Sookie raged at the unfairness, she had just wanted to be loved! How had her silly dream turned into such a nightmare? There was nothing to smash or break in the little closet of a bathroom, so she stood impotently shaking in fury. What if the damage was so severe that she could never bare to be intimate? She supposed that didn't really matter as she was unsure whether she would ever see Godric again. Sookie knew that even after their short time together there would never be anyone else for her. She needed to feel close to him, needed him here with her. The crimson stain of her palm against the pale blue gown, caught her eye. She turned it up to the light, fascinated that somehow she had managed to bring a part of him back with her. This was real, this allowed her to know that he really was out there somewhere. But it wouldn't last, it would wear or be washed away with time, and then she would be left with nothing. No tangible reminder to hold on to. Unless. . . Sookie gnawed at her lip. _Was it wrong? Would Godric be upset? _

"Miss Stackhouse, are you okay in there?" Sookie's decision was made, in the rushing she felt from the nurse. She brought her hand to her mouth and removed every trace of Godric's blood with her tongue. Sookie wasn't sure if the contentment she felt as his blood entered her body was real or imagined, but she was sure she didn't care.

"I'm great, never better in fact." From the nurse's thoughts Sookie knew that she believed it was said in sarcasm, but Sookie meant every word with her the entirety of her being. Godric would be with her always, and no one could ever take that away from her again. If when, or if, they met again, Godric was angry with her, she would explain her motives honestly. She had no doubts that he would understand.

The main part of the room was empty, save for Tess, when Sookie reappeared from the bathroom. The nurse bustled her back onto the bed.

"You just rest yourself right here for a bit, and catch your breath. Your brother ran down to the Wal-Mart to get you something cozy to wear home. Lord knows, it would be mighty cold making the trip in this old thing!" Sookie smiled at the kind woman.

"Thank you, I was wondering where he'd gone of to!" Sookie settled back into the pillows, relaxing more and more as Tess's mind, and thereby her thoughts, moved farther away. She just didn't have the strength to put up her shields at the moment. Sookie found herself lulled into a half-awake, half-asleep state as the minutes ticked by, and her mind began urging her to process the events of the past few days. She had lost her first love, though could she even call him that now? If as Niall said, Bill was controlling her emotions, he had been doing so since the second day they'd know each other. She palmed her face, why didn't she ask more questions at the time? Or later, Bill was so angry when Eric gave her his blood in Dallas. He had even explained some of what Eric's blood would do to her, so why had it not occurred to her that the same rules applied to Bill's blood? She could blame it on him controlling her emotions at that point, but it would be a cop out. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit that she simply hadn't wanted to. She wanted to believe that what they had was real, that she was loved. Her stomach lurched sickeningly. Every second had been a lie, he'd taken her virginity, had she been under his influence then? She knew she could never be sure, but now every time they had been intimate suddenly felt like a violation. And what was with that crazy file that Russell had showed her? He'd been investigating her family, but for how long and why? Her Granddaddy Earl's name had been circled, and he'd been the first born with fae blood. Did Bill know that? Was he trying to control her because of it?

Sookie's mind whirled it was so strange to think that she was accepting the whole fae thing so calmly. She'd always known she was different, more so in the last year, but a fairy? She chuckled as the image of Tinkerbell sprang to her mind. But they weren't like that were they? The tiny little Disney character morphed into the fierce creature she'd encountered in Fairy. Is that what Niall really looked like? Niall, something that he'd said about his mother had been bothering her. He'd said that she wanted to get rid of all those without full blood. Sookie was fairly certain that that's what was happening with the people that Godric had said were captured. A shudder ran through Sookie as she realized that they more than likely weren't capturing them at all, but killing them. _Poor Barry, to his family it would be like he just disappeared. They'd never get to bury him, or know why. _Sookie could relate, one day her Granddaddy Earl had just up and left never to be seen or heard from again. Sookie sat up in the bed. _Oh Lord! They took Granddaddy all those years ago. This has been going on for at least twenty years! _Did Niall know? Sookie was so overwhelmed she nearly missed the pair of familiar brains heading in her direction. Tara paused outside the door, pondering whether or not to disturb her. "Come on in." Sookie said pushing everything else out of her mind. She didn't want her friends worrying about her more than they already were.

"It's just creepy how you do that." Tara replied.

"I am what I am. No use in hidin' it when ya'll know anyway." Tara's mind was yelling how out of character such a statement was for Sookie. "Tara! You're screaming all that at me. I'm not still affected by Bill's blood, it's just. . . it's a part of me. Whether I like it or not that's not gonna change, and I'm sick ta death of fighting it! It took nearly dyin' for me to realize that, there are worse things in the world." Lafayette was nodding his head.

"Never thought I'd see the day, but damn girl I'm happy I did! There's nothin' wrong with bein' how you is. No need to apologize for it, God knows I don't for bein' my fabulous black self. Mmm!" It broke the tension in the room, and both Sookie and Tara laughed.

"Sorry Sook. I just worry 'bout ya is all. I wasn't lyin' when I said I'd lose my shit if anything ever happened to you. The last few days have been fucking crazy, and I'm still not thinkin' straight."

"I know!" Sookie said tapping the side of her head. Tara shot her a fake scowl, but wasn't able to hold it for long.

"Well we was just coming up here to say bye, and then we is taking our tired asses back home to Bon Temp, oh and to bring you this." Lafayette held out a glitter infested stuffed fairy. Sookie laughed it was very close to what she'd pictured in her mind just a few minutes ago.

"I love it!" Lafayette and Tara both gave her a hug, and reminding her to rest, before leaving. Sookie settled back into the pillows with her little fairy companion propping up her cast, to relieve a little of the dull throbbing. She was so exhausted she was asleep before her mind could get back to analyzing. Jason arrived about a half an hour later startling her awake by mumbling apologies and cursing the traffic and WalMart. Sookie scrubbed at her tired eyes and tried to focus on what he was saying.

"I asked the sales lady for some help pickin' out some pajamas, I told her I was shoppin' for my sister, but she kept on pointing out all this silky underwear lookin' stuff! Can you believe it? What kind of brother, buys his sister somethin' like that?" Sookie laughed at his colorful description of his adventure in the women's department. "Sorry, I know I'm rantin', I just hate to think of you stuck in the hospital all by yourself." Jason's face twisted up like he'd eaten something rotten. "You don't think she thought I was hittin' on her do ya?" Sookie could see Jason's mental picture of a little old lady, in a blue Wal-Mart smock.

"I think she thought you were shoppin' for a lady friend, but were too embarrassed to say so." Jason let out a gust of breath.

"Thank baby Jesus! That's just wrong!" Sookie shook her head at Jason's absurdity.

"So what did ya end up bringing me?"

"I think you're really gonna like 'em. . ." Jason rummaged through the bags. "I saw 'em, and the just screamed Sook.! Now don't go peakin' in my head and ruin the surprise." His hand finally stopped, and he pulled out a mass of red, yellow and blue flannel. "Aha! You're gonna love these!" He straightened the fabric out with a flourished crack. Sookie tilted her head to the side.

"And these screamed my name because?" Jason looked dumbstruck.

"Isn't it obvious S for Sookie!" Sookie thought she'd bust a stitch she was laughing so hard, you just had to love Jason sometimes.

"Or Superman!" She managed between chuckles. Jason shrugged.

"Still fits! You're like Superman, returning from near death. Nothin' can stop you!" Jason flipped the pajamas over his shoulders like a cape before zooming around the room. "You'll be Super Sook.! Huh?" He came rushing back in her direction, coming to a screeching halt just before he slammed into the bed. "And look, feel they're real soft too!"

"Oh Jason you're killing me!" Sookie wiped the tears from laughing so hard away. "I may not say it enough, but I love you Jase." Jason looked up and gave her an odd expression.

"Love you too, Sook. It's nice to see you laugh, like a real happy laugh. It's been way too long since I heard it." He stopped to pat her head. "Now let's get your butt in gear, and changed so we can blow this popsicle stand!" Jason tenderly helped her to the bathroom, grabbing both of her hands in his, and walking backward in front of her, like one aides a toddler in walking for the first time. They reached the door, and Jason dropped a kiss to her forehead, "Now you be careful in there. Just let me know and I'll grab that nice nurse if ya need some help K?" Sookie rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"I think I can manage, but thanks." Sookie made her way to the toilet, and sat down before emptying out the two bags of necessities Jason had bought for her. The first bag held the Superman pajamas, but he'd also be considerate enough to grab a package of underwear, some slippers and a cotton camisole with a built in bra. The second was full of toiletries like body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, and a hair brush. She looked around the small room, trying to find anything else to do before succumbing to the inevitable. Finding nothing she decided to work her way up to what she knew would be a horrific experience. She began by carefully scrubbing her face, then brushing her teeth and finally her hair. She fidgeted in front of the mirror, trying to gather up the scraps that were left of her courage. She took a deep breath and tugged at the first tie of her gown, panic coursed through her, and she waited until it ebbed back before undoing the second. She repeated the process until it hung open behind her. A few more steadying inhales and she pulled the gown down to reveal her right shoulder then left, continuously pausing when her anxiety overwhelmed her. After what seemed to be an eternity Sookie finally stood naked in the middle of the room. She couldn't look, no matter how much she tried to get her fear to abate as soon as her eyes began to lower some other part of her mind took over and slammed them shut. She scrubbed her eyes in defeat, accepting that it would have to come in time. She washed her body quickly with a wash rag and body wash, dried herself, and began slipping on her new clothing, all with her eyes fixed on the faucet of the sink. When she was completely covered her eyes were free to move again. She looked down at her silly pajamas and had to admit Jason was right, she did love them, though maybe not for the reasons he had originally thought. She loved that he had chose them, and had put so much effort into doing it. She felt slightly silly and a little childish wearing them, but she knew she would, and often because every time she did, she would think of Jason flying around the room and laugh.


End file.
